“There is a golden time, when we accept all things in Life, and we expect the same of it. Then, as we grow, we realize that we will not be welcome in every corner of our world, and that sometimes, those who once welcomed us will turn us away, sometimes for no clear reason, or for a reason that makes no sense in itself. I have been turned away from friends I might have made, and hearth-fires I might have shared, both for things I could have changed, and things I cannot. I believe it is important not to let the vines and thorns that sometimes grow across the paths in our lives take root in our heart; not to let them turn us too much against others, or against ourselves.

“Vines can wither, and thorns can blacken and die, leaving a path that once was unpassable free to be walked again. And so may the blackened and broken places within ourselves be healed–if we allow them to be. Time has healed many of the wounds I once had, and there is understanding now between myself and at least some who once thought ill of me–and of whom, if I am honest, I once thought ill of. I find life even more rewarding now that I know there is the possibility that hate, anger and bitterness may wait for me along paths I have yet to travel, for I know that I have the choice of how I will meet it–and I know that choice can determine many things.”